Environmental Law Alert Blog

Through our Environmental Law Alert blog, West Coast keeps you up to date on the latest developments and issues in environmental law. This includes:

  • proposed changes to the law that will weaken, or strengthen, environmental protection;
  • stories and situations where existing environmental laws are failing to protect the environment; and
  • emerging legal strategies that could be used to protect our environment.

If you have an environmental story that we should hear about, please e-mail Andrew Gage. We welcome your comments on any of the posts to this blog – but please keep in mind our policies on comments.

2020 Canadian Law Blog Awards Winner

As we head into election season in BC, brace yourself for a lot of talk about managing taxpayer dollars and balancing budgets. But let’s make sure that politicians can’t duck a pressing financial question that’s only getting worse: how are we going to pay for the rising costs of climate change? 

The Sue Big Oil campaign is a collaboration of British Columbians concerned about the harmful impacts of climate change on BC communities and the skyrocketing costs for local governments and taxpayers. As the campaign enters its third year this summer, we asked Staff Lawyer Andrew Gage about the progress and potential of this key campaign.

Throughout West Coast’s history, we’ve been committed to transforming the legal landscape in ways that are more sustainable, more democratic and more just. As we celebrate our 50th anniversary, we’re reflecting on five key moments that have made the organization into what it is today.

As Indigenous Peoples Day approaches on June 21, 2024, the RELAW (Revitalizing Indigenous Law for Land, Air & Water) team wanted to take this moment to reflect on the significance of this day and the rich cultural heritage it celebrates.

West Coast Executive Director and Senior Counsel Jessica Clogg spoke with Nuxalk Hereditary Chief Smawn (Richard John Hall) about coastal and ocean conservation in accordance with Nuxalk Ancestral Law, and the importance of decolonizing ocean spaces.

As the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion (TMX) commences operations, we reflect on key questions that remain after more than 10 years fighting for climate action, land and water protection, and Indigenous self-determination.

Vancouver City Council sues for bridge repairs, but rejects idea of suing fossil fuel companies for climate damages

Our RELAW (Revitalizing Indigenous Law for Land, Air and Water) program has reached its eight-year milestone. Read along as we reflect on powerful themes from our collective learning and celebrate eight years of making an impact.

What is a local government to do when it has a “funding gap” that will expose its residents to climate impacts and prevent it from meeting its climate goals? That’s the question that staff at the District of Saanich dealt with as they wrote up their fifth Annual Climate Plan Report Card.

I’ve always been a sucker for lists of three (not sure why), so a recent American article on three climate cases to watch in the coming year got me thinking: what climate litigation can we expect in Canada in 2024, and what might they mean?